Table 1 Mycotoxicoses in cattle and horses associated with fungal infections of grasses or cereals by members of the Clavicipitaceae family, based on data from Radostits[2] and Mostrom and Jacobson[3]
Fungus | Mycotoxin | Disease | Clinical signs and pathogenesis |
|---|---|---|---|
[Grass & cereal] | |||
Neotyphodium lolii | Lolitrems (Lolitrem B), an indole-diterpene toxin | Ryegrass staggers | When disturbed gross incoordination, falling hypersensitivity. Functional derangement of nervous tissue function. No histological lesions |
[Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perennae)] | |||
Neotyphodium coenophialum | Ergovaline, an ergot alkaloid | Fescue toxicosis | Low milk yield or weight gain, hypersalivation, seek shade. Depression of blood prolactin concentrations |
[Tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae)] | Â | Fescue foot | Loss of tail switch, distal limbs, tail tip gangrene. Local vasoconstriction restricts blood supply |
[Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perennae)] | Prolonged gestation | Long gestation, dystocia, abortion, stillbirth, agalactia. Vasoconstriction cause placental edema, reducing circulating prolactin | |
Claviceps purpurea | A range of ergot alkaloids, principally ergotamine, but also ergocristine, ergosine, ergocorine and ergocryptine | Ergotism | Lameness, gangrene of lower limbs, ear tips, loss of tail switch. Arteriolar spasm causes deficient blood supply body parts |
[Cereals, rye, triticale, grains, grasses] | Hyperthermia | Hyperthermia, salivation, dyspnea. Reduced blood supply to skin reduces heat loss |